“It was short lived, too bad it couldn’t work out but things happen for a reason. My life has been so crazy the last couple years, as far as issues with my family, as far as going through personal tragedy. And I felt like God was saying, ‘You know what Lamar, I’m going to give you a little time. A little time to step back and soak everything in….”

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Lamar Odom is not Socrates or Dr. Phil, but he was rather introspective when discussing his fall with the Dallas Mavericks.

In case you’ve been living in a cave: the Los Angeles Lakers included Odom in the nixed Chris Paul deal, Odom got mad and demanded a trade, and the purple-and-gold obliged by sending him to the Dallas Mavericks for a paltry trade exception.

Odom was a peculiar fit for the defending world champs’. He was out of shape. He’s also a finesse player and Rick Carlisle’s bunch needed grit to replace Tyson Chandler. And his reality TV relationship with Khloe Kardashian didn’t help matters -even though Mavericks owner Mark Cuban runs the Shark Tank and was an epic failure on Dancing With The Stars.

Then there were the cap implications. The Mavericks only acquired Odom to buy him out at year’s end and use the financial flexibility to chase free agent Deron Williams.

Add it up and Odom struggled miserably in the Lone Star State. Fans booed him. Teammates questioned him. And he had a run-in with Cuban before being told he was on paid vacation.

To be fair, there was much we didn’t know. Odom’s marriage, even if it’s a reality TV spectacle, was stumbling. And his cousin was murdered.

So the forward needed some personal time. Hey we’ve all been there.

Don’t count Odom out, though. He’ll have a few offers this summer and will surely take the Mini-Mid level exception to join one of his two former teams in Los Angeles.

Odom tried to find an ounce of humor in the sad situation, but the reality is it appears Carlisle is done with the spin, done with the positive reinforcement and maybe even done putting Odom on the floor with nine games left that are so vital to the defending champs' postseason hopes in this strange, strange season. "I can’t read it," Odom said of the immediate future. "It is what it is. What can I do? Coach is always right."

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: Lamar Odom became a target the moment he went on TV for something other than basketball.

People fall in love. And Odom fell in love with Khloe Kardashian. But he didn’t have to be part of her reality world, hawking their relationship and various lifestyle products on the ‘E’ network.

Being such a public figure means perhaps he gets more of the blame than he deserves for the Dallas Mavericks’ poor play.

Make no mistake about it, Odom has been disappointing since coming over from the Los Angeles Lakers in a pre-season trade.

But what did Team Cuban expect?

Odom -- when unfocused and uninspired -- is a soft player. There was no way he could do any of things Tyson Chandler did for the Mavericks’ championship run.

Of course, the Mavericks never really wanted Odom. They wanted his contract, which they’ll buy-out at season’s end in order to chase free agent point guard Deron Williams.

Here’s what Odom should do: contact his former brother-in-law Kris Humphries. The Nets’ power forward, after an acrimonious divorce to Kim Kardashian, has kept a low profile, given up on being a second-rate celebrity, and focused on basketball.

Odom should do the same. His career, as a basketball player, depends on it.

HoopsVibe’s Very Quick Call: It’s just what we need -an NBA forward and his celebrity wife showing us their 'real' life.
Oh wait, there's Khloe Kardashian and Lakers forward Lamar Odom. There's also Kim Kardashian and Nets four-man Kris Humphries with their show.
Now there's Carmelo Anthony and wife LaLa Vasquez getting air-time to inform, educate, and enlighten about their ‘day-to-day’ existence.
If 'Melo and LaLa is your thing then click the video preview and get at HoopsVibe News with thoughts.
--HoopsVibe News

"Maybe the best chant ever heard at a sporting event, to Lamar Odom at FT line: "UG-LY SIS-Ter"!. Clap-clap, clap-clap-clap." Ken Berger, CBS Sports, via Twitter,HoopsVibe's Very Quick Call: Nothing is off limits in the NBA Finals, especially between the Celtics and Lakers.
But the Boston faithful's insults had no impact on Lamar Odom's play, even if they went after his wife, Khloe, whose sister is socialite Kim Kardashian.
Odom went 5-for-5 from the floor for 12 points to go with 5 rebounds. Best of all, he was active. He attacked the basket, avoided foul trouble, got into the open court, and played multiple positions.
In fact, this was the versatile forward's best game of the NBA Finals. Perhaps, the "UG-LY SIS-Ter" chant served as motivation.
Got thoughts on Boston calling Khloe Kardashian ugly? Get at us in the comment box below.